What is it?
Vertigo is a false sense of spinning or movement. Dizziness is a broader term that can also mean light-headedness, unsteadiness or feeling faint.
General Neurology
Vertigo and Dizziness
Dizziness has many causes, most of them in the inner ear. Assessment helps tell these apart from brain causes that need urgent care.
What symptoms can occur?
Spinning, swaying or tilting sensations, nausea or vomiting, unsteadiness, and sometimes hearing changes or ringing in the ear. Symptoms may last seconds, hours or days.
Common causes
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): brief spinning on changing head position
- Vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis: inflammation of the balance nerve or inner ear
- Ménière’s disease: attacks of vertigo with hearing changes and ringing
- Vestibular migraine
- Low blood pressure, medicines, dehydration or heart rhythm problems (light-headedness)
- Less commonly, stroke or other brain conditions
Central versus peripheral symptoms
Peripheral (inner ear or nerve)
Often strong spinning, may be triggered by head movement, sometimes with hearing changes. Usually no other neurological symptoms.
Central (brain)
Often with other signs such as double vision, slurred speech, weakness, numbness or severe difficulty standing or walking. Needs urgent assessment.
When should someone seek urgent care?
- Sudden dizziness with weakness, numbness, double vision or slurred speech
- Inability to stand or walk
- A new, severe headache or neck pain with dizziness
- Dizziness with chest pain, palpitations or fainting
How is it evaluated?
A careful history of what the dizziness feels like, how long it lasts and what triggers it, followed by a neurological examination, eye movement tests and positional tests. Hearing tests or MRI are advised when needed.
What treatment options are available?
- Repositioning manoeuvres for BPPV
- Vestibular rehabilitation exercises
- Short-term medicines for nausea and severe vertigo
- Treatment of the underlying cause, such as migraine or Ménière’s disease
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Is vertigo always an ear problem?
Most often it is, but sometimes it comes from the brain. Other neurological symptoms or difficulty walking need urgent assessment.
Can vertigo be treated without medicines?
Often yes. BPPV usually responds to repositioning manoeuvres, and balance exercises help many people.
Open Mon–Sat, 9AM–5PM
Book a consultation
Request an appointment for vertigo or dizziness at KIMS Hospitals (New Facility), Kondapur, or call the clinic. Bring previous prescriptions, scan reports and a list of your current medicines.
Request appointment
Choose a day from Monday to Saturday. The clinic calls back to confirm your time.
Request appointmentClinic hoursMon–Sat, 9AM–5PM9AM5PM